Join The Club

A plethora of clubs and societies are at your fingertips, so why not take advantage of this opportunity? Shiffa Aziz stresses on the benefits of joining a club while in university.

Being involved in extra-curricular activities will definitely give you an edge over others when applying for internships or jobs. You should know that relying solely on your academic achievements is a big no-no as was the case when you were in secondary school. The only difference is the number of clubs have increased tenfold since school, including the existence of new activities you never knew you wanted to partake in. Putting aside the excitement, here are a few things to keep in mind as you experience a whole new world.

JOIN OUR CLUB!

POWER IS POWER

All organisations have an established corporate structure. There are the top positions – such as the president, vice president, secretary, or the bureau leaders (varies depending on the type of club) – where a single person would be elected to be in charge of managing their team. Offer yourself to take up a role within the organisation. Being a regular member of a club is one thing but holding an important role in one is another. HOWEVER, with great power comes great responsibility! If you feel you aren’t up to the task of taking on a role of responsibility, don’t. You know yourself better than anyone. But do not let the lack of experience prevent you from giving it a go. Sure, you might hit a bump in the road here and there but it is a learning curve after all. Learn from your failures and take in the experience.

GET MOVING!

While it is perfectly fine to be a regular club member, that doesn’t mean you should be a dormant one. Whenever you have the chance, take part in festivities! Your club is joining a competition? Sign up as a participant. Organising an annual dinner? Help out as the event crew. There’s a weekly club activity? Be there. You’ll find this tip easier to follow if you are passionate about the club, especially when the activities are catered towards your interests. You may think it is a hassle but imagine if you had actually unlocked an achievement, e.g. winning a team competition. That achievement speaks volumes of your character as you have not only done it for yourself but also for your team. By building a sense of camaraderie among you and your fellow members, you will learn the meaning of teamwork – a useful trait not only in the workplace but in life as well.

IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO NETWORK

Who better to start networking with than your teammates? Like it or not, you will be acquainted with these people as you will be working alongside them and can observe their work ethics. So, how do you get better acquainted with them? Always remember to keep in touch even after leaving the club. While it may be impossible to keep in contact with everyone, take extra care of those contacts you have built good relationships with. Clubs offer many ways for you to take part in activities and events where you will be exposed to people from different organisations and institutions. You might even get the chance to meet up with potential employers! They may not seem useful to you at the moment but, trust me, when you’re looking for internship placements or a good recommendation, these contacts will become invaluable to you in the future.

PARTICULAR SET OF SKILLS

Whether you’re leading a team, participating in club activities or networking with members, you are inadvertently gaining and sharpening skills that will prove useful in the working world. These include leadership skills, communication skills and teamwork skills, so be sure to absorb those experiences as much as possible! However, you shouldn’t just leave it at that as one of the most important skills you will learn (and master) is the art of multitasking. Ensure that you are able to balance both your studies and your extracurricular activities. It is best to excel at both as this will make you a well-rounded student.